Has anybody ever been to Sturgis on a BMW. Am I asking for trouble? I have some friends that ride cruisers (HDs) and want to go and have asked if I want to join. I have never had a lick of trouble tooling around here in socal with my cruiser buddies but not sure what the vibe or atmosphere would be at the Sturgis rally. I ride an 1150r by the way>

My best friend rides a harley. and keeps telling me "you have to go at least once"

I disagree. Ill go there NOT during the festival maybe to check it out...but I have NO interest in throngs of stereotypical harley people who think owning one means you must act in a drunken redneck manner. I told him i'd ride with him up there, he can stay while I tour yellowstone. lol

the reason for this.... I was sent a video once of Harleytards flipping over a group of metric bikes during that, and dragging one down the road...just because they were metric. I don't get this mentality, so try to stay away from it. I would end up arguing with someone and getting into a fight, guaranteed. You cannot reason with some people.

The last time I engaged in the argument, I made an enemy at work.... that is no fun.

He told me "got my harley 70 before the railroad tracks today" .... those tracks are MAYBE a bit over 1/4 mile from our building. At the time, I rode an FZ1, one hell of a hooligan bike. I respond, "oh no kidding? Me too, then I shifted into 3rd and was afraid to look at the speedo over 100" LOL pissed him off.

Do not argue with me that harleys are better or faster. Thats not why you have them. You like them because they are american vtwin, and old tattoed wrinkly ladies want to make out with you when they hear your poorly tuned loud exhaust go by. I wont argue that my bike is any "better" either, and well be just fine.

Been through Sturgis during the "Black Hills Classic" on my way back from British Columbia and Alberta in '03. Stopped to get fuel on the edge of town mid-day and left without incident. The "Bar & Shield" crew is not my favorite. Nuff said.

That video is repugnant. That kind of ignorance is stunning. You can always tell a harley rider . . . . but you can't tell him much.I'm sure the bike was one they provided (won it in a card game?) and not just one parked on the street (?).

Do you like noise?Do you like exhaust fumes?Do you like riding like a lemming with 100 other lemmings? I would like Thelma and Louise to lead a ride. Are you obsessed with pointing out road hazards with your foot even though everyone else in the murder of crows has already pointed it out?Do you park your bike with your friend to suggest you have OCD psychosis?Do you have a black T shirt and leather vest with bling? Or any that say the b!tch fell off? A Duck Dynasty beard?It is a NOTHING town, with a few, not a lot, bars that are heavy on death related graphics and beer. And NOTHING else.

I've been there, outside of "bike week," on a weekend, and it was absolutely dead. I was in search of a t shirt shop ( with kiddie sizes and I had toddler g children and I wanted a loud pipes save lives T in toddler size) and there was NOTHING. Just lots of skinhead art, skulls, German Krosses, etc

YMMV, but I wouldn't. IN fact, if THAT was what motorcycling was about, I wouldn't ride at all, I'd have another hobby.

Do you like noise?Do you like exhaust fumes?Do you like riding like a lemming with 100 other lemmings? I would like Thelma and Louise to lead a ride. Are you obsessed with pointing out road hazards with your foot even though everyone else in the murder of crows has already pointed it out?Do you park your bike with your friend to suggest you have OCD psychosis?Do you have a black T shirt and leather vest with bling? Or any that say the b!tch fell off? A Duck Dynasty beard?It is a NOTHING town, with a few, not a lot, bars that are heavy on death related graphics and beer. And NOTHING else.

I've been there, outside of "bike week," on a weekend, and it was absolutely dead. I was in search of a t shirt shop ( with kiddie sizes and I had toddler g children and I wanted a loud pipes save lives T in toddler size) and there was NOTHING. Just lots of skinhead art, skulls, German Krosses, etc

YMMV, but I wouldn't. IN fact, if THAT was what motorcycling was about, I wouldn't ride at all, I'd have another hobby.

If you want a party, come to the Mardi Gras. You're invited.

thank you for this.

Dont mind Harley as a brand...but I can do without the image that is portrayed..

And the mentality that it is the only acceptable motorcycle to buy....I often am asked by folks even some who have no motorycle. "why no harley?" They are genius at marketing...ill give them that...people that have never ridden one, OR MINE think so highly of it to assume that mine is inferior.

Go for it: It's a life experience and the only way to really experience it is to go. Use a little common sense (not so common), leave the T-shirts with the roundel on them home and don't park in front of a Biker bar although as a BMW rider I've always been shown respect (OK a few good natured comments about being snooty) and good comments about my bike. I've been to Sturgis twice and to Daytona and Laconia for decades, my /5 was on Main street usually on the sidewalk right in front of Froggys for 25 years in a row and I parked a Beemer, Guzzi or Valkyrie on Weirs for at least 30 years and never a problem.

These rallys aren't the party they used to be but they are a great show and it's worth seeing.

MAIN STREET:

WEIRS - my buddys Beemer (I rode the Valk that year) sat on Weirs all afternoon and into the night with no problem a bunch of times.

With respect, Harry, what is the appeal to you? What is the "show?" As I said I've not been there during the bike weeks, but have spoken to those who have and it sounds like crowded roads and "rolling thunder." Obviously different riders have different preferences and definitions of what they call entertainment. Just not my cup of tea. I doubt a cup of tea can be found in town.

on a dead Sunday afternoon

I was one of the few people in town and this guy wasn't there.

What needs to be said is that it is a beautiful area and there are lots of nice rides around there. It's just north of the Badlands. east of Devil's Tower and a day from Little Big Horn. Thing is, with 50,000 of your best friends riding in formation and just DARING you to ride your own ride, it may be less than ideal. You have a doo-rag?

So, if you go, write a report and take pictures and tell us about it, and leave your BMW T shirts home because that appears to be a lightening rod.

It's Ok not to like or understand something but IMHO if your curious about what it's all about it's best to experience it first hand, not depend on some staged u-tube or wild stories from thirty years ago. How do you explain what stuffed cabbage tastes like or a few ounces of great bourbon or a strawberry sunday, best way is to try it.95% of the people at these events are folks just like us but they have bought into the Harley thing (chrome and loud exhausts) they're not animals or killers just people having a good time.

I guess a person could take a tour of art museums and tell people about the wonderful art items he saw, but a trip to one of the major 'Biker' rallies for a few days will provide campfire stories for years to come. As I said in a previous post the wild parties of years ago have become mostly a show but the show is worth seeing first hand.

Again common sense: If you walk up to a 1%er and say something like' "Your Harley is a loud garbage can but I'm a Beemer rider and my bike is the best" you might end up wearing your Beemer.

BTW: I should add that if you want to check out some of the great tourist attractions in the area go before or after the rally. There is a good BMW rally in Spearfish a week or so before the rally.